Was God really sleeping?

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

One of our grands is trying to stop sucking her thumb ... trying. The other day I said: “Did you ask God to help you?”

“Yes,” she replied, “But He must have been sleeping.”

A smile crept from my lips. "Let's see what the Bible says about God sleeping," I said and looked up "sleep" in the index. Turning to Psalm 121:4, I said, “He who watches over you will not slumber [sleep].”

“Honey, does God sleep?”

“No,” she said, pausing for about a half of a second. “I guess I wasn’t listening.”

Somehow her words struck me as quite profound: I wasn't listening. I wonder how many times God speaks to me and I'm not listening.
Psalm 81:13a says, “If my people would but listen to me." (NIV)

The Message, a Bible paraphrase, says this same verse a little differently: "Oh, dear people, will you listen to me now?"

Today, I'm gong to make an effort to be still and listen. Really listen.

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Denys Dolnikov / Dreamstime.com

Olympics

Well, today is the opening day for the summer Olympics 2012. Pops and I will be glued to the TV tonight. What about you?

The Olympics provide a great topic of conversation between grandparents and their grandchildren. Who are the grands' favorite athletes, favorite competitions, etc. We could text out-of-town grandkids our picks for races and ask about theirs.

And here are some websites that we can share with the grands, and enjoy ourselves:

Official website of Olympics

Great Olympic Stories

Kellogg's Olympic Video

" ... Start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God —he could put up with anything along the way ... "

                                                                   (Hebrews 12:1, The Message)

Have a great weekend!
Mary Larmoyeux
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Photo and post © 2012 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Picture © Geoarts | Dreamstime.com

Dueling Grandmas

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

The other day I was with a group of friends and suddenly two of them started dueling —with their cell phones. And guess what they were looking at? Pictures of their grandkids, of course.

Well, it didn't take long before I pulled out my cell to show off Pop's and my precious ones! Looks like cell phone pics have replaced the days of Grandma's brag book. Do you remember them?

Have you ever been a dueling grandma yourself?  No wonder Proverbs 17:6 tells us that grandchildren are the crown of their grandparents.

Have a great week!
Mary Larmoyeux
http://www.marymaywrites.com/

Photo and post © 2012 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Granny Camp

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Friday's  Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Have you ever heard of Granny Camp?

Anne Dierks, grandmother of fourteen grandchildren, has hosted what she calls Granny Camp for more than a decade. In her book Granny Camp! How to Bond with Your Grandchildren she not only explains how to plan a special summer camp for the grandchildren, but also includes menu ideas, possible activities, crafts, and much more.

Granddad Dierks is involved in Granny Camp with Anne. She says that one of the campers' favorite activities is Granddad's G's. She gives examples of Gs that Granddad Dierks teaches such as: Golden rule, Goals, God/Gospel, Grades, Genealogy, etc.

The Dierks' grandchildren live in various states and fly in once a year for the special camp. From the pictures in Anne's book it's obvious that the cousins have made some really special memories together!

Have you ever had a special camp/weekend for all of your grandkids? Or, do you have any thoughts about organizing something like this in the future?

Have a great weekend,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart


© 2011 Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Pavel Losevsky © dreamstime.com

Lessons learned from grandparenting

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

I was reading some quotes about grandparents; here are a few of my favorites:

Grandmothers are just antique little girls. (Author Unknown)

Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild. (Welsh Proverb)

Grandparenting is a wonderful time of life. Finally we can have the ice cream without first eating the vegetables. (Lois Wyse)

Did you get a smile on your face as your read these quotes. I sure did.

Before our first grandchild was born, my friends warned me that there were no words to express the thrill of being a grandparent. Now I understand that it’s impossible to really describe the joy this antique little girl has when she plays tea party with her three-year-old granddaughter.

Before I had grands I thought I knew how to love. Now I know that the mistakes that I made as a parent had a purpose—to mold me into a grandparent who can love with more understanding and patience.

Before I had grandkids I believed children should eat their vegetables before dessert. But now I know the grands can sometimes eat their ice cream at Grandma's house before the veggies. After all, it’s up to their parents to see that they eat right. (smile)

What has grandparenting taught you?

Have a great week,
Mary
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Man walked on the moon (websites and coloring sheets)

Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

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In last Tuesday's Grand Connection post,  "One Small Step for Man," I recalled a time long ago when my dad and I stood in our backyard. He pointed into the night sky and said, "Mary, a man is on the moon tonight." That memory was somehow etched in my mind ... forever.

Now would be a great time for us to connect with our grandkids and remind them of what happened in July 1969: Neil Armstrong was the first person to ever walk on the moon!  Here are a couple of websites with more information about this.  I'm going to share them with our grandkids.

NASA
You Tube Video of the First Moon Landing

I think the younger ones will enjoy this coloring sheets (I've already mailed copies to our long-distance grands):
Moon and stars

Do you know of any good resources about the moon and Neil Armstrong?  If so, please leave a comment below or send me an e-mail. Thanks!

When I look at the moon this month, I not only want to think of the first man who walked on it, but also the awesome Creator who made it!

 ³ Praise him, sun and moon,
 praise him, all you shining stars!

             - Psalm 148:3 (NIV)

Have a great weekend,
Mary
Mary May Larmoyeux
www.marymaywrites.com


Article copyright © Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo courtesy of NASA.

One Small Step for Man

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

On July 20, 1969, the lunar module Eagle landed on the moon. Six hours later, Commander Neil Armstrong stepped onto its surface.

Do you remember that day ... that "moment"?

I do.

My dad and I walked outside our home on that very night. "See the moon, Mary," he said, pointing high into the heavens. "A man is walking up there."

I remember the darkness ... the light of the moon ... the sense of awe.

Soon we will mark the  marked the 43rd anniversary of the Armstrong's declaration, “One small step for man. One giant leap for mankind."

I don't know if I've ever mentioned that July night to my grandkids, but I'm going to. What about you? Do you remember when a man walked on the moon?

I'm reminded of the words of Psalm 8: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

Have a great week,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com


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© by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Bubbles, Bubbles ... Everywhere!

Friday's Grand Connection Fun
 by Mary May Larmoyeux

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Our little grands just love bubbles!

When I’ve found two plastic bottles of bubbles on sale for a dollar, at first I thought, "What a deal!” Then I  surfed the Internet and discovered countless free recipes for bubbles.

Did you know that bubbles can be made with everyday dishwashing soap, water and either glycerin or Karo syrup? (Yep, Karo syrup.)

Some of the Internet recipes call for liquid Joy, others say Dawn is the best to use, and a few suggest baby shampoo. I mixed and matched some ingredients, and this is the mixture one of our grands and I used:

1/3 cup Ultra Concentrated Liquid Joy
1 tablespoon Karo syrup (I had dark Karo and it worked just fine.)
Water (complete filling an empty 18 oz. jar)

I combined the ingredients the evening before they’d be used. Someone said doing this makes bigger bubbles, so I thought I’d try it. I also put the lid on the jar—didn’t want the concoction to attract any thirsty ants.

For bubble wands, I cut two straws in half and taped the halves together, side-by-side. Then my grand and I went outside where she dipped her homemade wand in a container of homemade bubbles and watched her creations float into the sky.

As they drifted towards the clouds, we talked about how God made everything (Acts 17:24)—the clouds, birds, sun … and, yes, bubbles.

Have fun!

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.com/

The blessing of freedom

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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux


Tomorrow we'll celebrate the birth of our nation's independence. It will a festive time for our country, and many communities will have fireworks, parades, hot dogs and apple pie!

Not too long ago, Pops' and my pastor reminded us not to take our freedom for granted. As a congregation, we joined thousands of churches across the U.S. in praying for our nation.

As grandparents, I think it's part of our responsibility to help our grandchildren understand the privilege of living in a free country. The next time I see our grandchildren, I think I'll spend a few minutes with them praying for our nation and reminding them that with freedom comes responsibility.

How have you helped your grandchildren understand the privilege and blessings of living in a free country?
 
"For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield."   (Psalm 5:12)

Have a great week,

Mary

www.marymaywrites.com
co-author of The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild's Heart

© 2011 Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Marcelmooij / Dreamstime.com